"Don't worry," Olivia whispered. "Your secret is safe with me." She slid the packet from the newspaper. A pungent aroma made her eyes water. "Ugh. You kept this in the back of your closet with all your smelly track shoes, didn't you?"
"How could you tell?"
Olivia rolled her eyes. Jace snorted. "It's all right," she said with a grin." I'll air it out. Just don't tell anybody you gave this packet to me. Nobody at all. You understand?"
Jace narrowed his eyes and looked askance at her. "Not even the tall, dark and slightly vampiric Hernando?"
"Especially him." She pouted playfully and gently nudged him off their porch. "Now, on your way, young man. Gotta make a living and pay for all those college textbooks, right?"
"Yeah, right." Jace chuckled and went on his way with a quick glance back at her. "Good luck, Olivia."
Why did he wish me good luck? Olivia had felt a bit apprehensive. Had she given their spying plan away? Nah, it was just nerves.
Deep down Olivia felt confident Jace wouldn't reveal her secret. They'd been buddies since kindergarten. He'd never snitch on her. She'd gone inside and made a cup of hot spearmint tea and then returned to her room to study the packet's contents.
"What are you looking at?" Moira Brown had barged into Olivia's room an hour later. It was two days after Hernando had left for the remainder of his New Year world's tour, and her mother had been acting suspicious of Olivia's movements the entire time. "Did you get a letter from a college saying you should come and visit?"
"Uh, yeah, yeah I did." Olivia had quickly shoved the official acceptance, printed on beautifully gold embossed stationery, into her small spiral notebook where she had been taking notes on the details in Lauren's application.
"What's the name of the school?"
"Uh, Harvard." Lame answer, but I wasn't planning on being interrupted, now was I?
"Harvard, you say?" Her mother sat down on the edge of Olivia's bed and sighed. "How prestigious. Are you looking into their law school?"
"Of course." Olivia pushed all the papers off her bed and tried to kick them under it. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll get ready for church."
Moira raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Never knew you to be so eager to get ready for church, but I can take a hint. Give me a hand up."
She leaned on her knees to raise herself up from Olivia's low bed. Olivia slid off the end and tried assisting her mother to a stand with a tug on her shoulders, but her foot slipped on the edge of her spiral notebook, opening it up and revealing the letter from BloodDark. Moira's gaze dropped and focused on the shiny letterhead.
"Wow, what fancy paper Harvard uses for form letters."
"They are Ivy League." Olivia forced a chuckle and dipped to scoop up the notebook and letter. She held them tightly against her chest.
Her mother slowly straightened up. "You're not hiding something from me...Are you, Olivia?"
"No. What makes you think I'd hide anything from you?" Olivia pulled open her desk drawer, stuffing the papers into it and slamming it shut with her hip. The drawer jammed. She bit her lip, then forced a smile.
Moira frowned. "It's the little things. Like acting like you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Olivia, you can trust me. I'm your mother. You can tell me if something is bothering you."
"Nothing is bothering me, Mom. Just...just give me some space."
"All right." Her mother sniffed. "I know where I'm not wanted."
Oh, why am I always hurting her when I don't mean to. "Mom, please don't be angry. It's just—"
"I'm unnecessary to your current plans. It's all right, I'm going." Moira turned to the door. "Don't forget someday you might actually need a mom and I won't be here. Don't take what you have for granted."
Olivia's stomach flip-flopped. The guilt will never go away, either, if I don't come back in one piece from my spy assignment.
"I hope we can trust you to take care of yourself while your dad and I are off to the history conference in Des Moines this week," her mother added.
"I'll be fine, Mom. You know I'm able to cope with worse. It's not like I've not been on my own before, right?"
A look of fear and remembrance flashed in Moira's eyes. "Yes, you are certainly capable. Harvard isn't quite as far away as...that other world is, now is it?" Her mother dashed from the room and down the stairs.
"Mom, wait, please." She can't even say BloodDark. It causes her such pain. Olivia followed after her mother and paused at the top of the steps. Moira was already downstairs and halfway to the kitchen.
She'd make it up to her mom later. The acceptance letter was jammed in her desk drawer and needed careful extraction. Olivia knew time was of the essence. She had a job to do.
"Lauren thinks she was rejected outright by the Alphans and is heartbroken, but she'll get over it," Olivia said simply, her heart feeling sad and sorry for deceiving her own parents.
"Very devious." Annara nodded. "Is Lauren's family to be trusted?"
Olivia nodded. "I think so. They're not going to tell anyone. They don't know exactly what I wanted with the letter, but Mrs. Petrowski's grateful someone else is willing to check things out with the Pure Bloods before her precious child dedicated her life to becoming a vampire bride."
"I never will understand Earthers—I mean humans." Annara shook her head. "In spite of our shared ancestry, it's like we come from two very different worlds."
Olivia flashed a crooked smile. "We do. We really do."
*****
Several hours later, the transformation was complete. Olivia turned around and examined her new look in the hallway's full-length mirror.
"I don't see what's so great about being blond" she murmured to herself. "I look like a dandelion. It brings out the sallow undertones in my skin, too. A yellowy-brown dandelion with unbecoming straightened hair. The green contacts really make my eyes stick out, though. I might keep those, but this Catholic school-girl plaid skirt and sweater? Ugh. Argyle socks and loafers aren't my thing by a long run."
"You have your cover story memorized?" Annara called out from where she was gathering up the clothing from the bed. They'd gone through all Olivia's closet and drawers and decided what outfits worked well with her undercover character's back story. A preppy loner into Bram Stoker's Dracula and classic horror movies was how Olivia interpreted her "Lauren". The missing nose ring and other body piercings concerned her.
Olivia went back into her room and plopped on her bed. "I probably should see if I can buy one of those pretend nose rings and some more ear jewelry at the airport gift shop. Lauren did say in her bio she was into piercings, and other than my earlobes, I don't have anywhere near the number of holes in my body she has. Luckily she didn't say she had a belly-button ring or other painful places pierced."
Annara tossed in another one of Olivia's most boring sweaters into the suitcase and pursed her lips. "Will it take much time? If we leave now, we'll get to the embassy long before Hernando is scheduled to return from his trip to visit the mushroom farm in the old coal mines."
"See what excitement I got you out of today, Annara?" Olivia forced a laugh. "Mushrooms growing underground in Pennsylvania. Fun without a sun."
"As long as mushrooms don't have any ideas of kidnapping our ambassador again, I'll gladly take a mushroom farm kind of excitement."
She gulped. Stay safe Hernando while I'm away. After I've uncovered what the Alphans are up to, you will be much safer.
Annara zipped up the suitcase and placed it on the floor. "Done. Don't worry, I packed a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt so you can return to Earth in style."
"Thanks." Olivia gestured Annara to go ahead of her and switched off the lights before dragging her bag down the stairs. "You are a better packing than I am. All that practice out in the field using backpacks and carrying equipment around, huh?"
"It does teach you how to pack lighter and more efficiently."
"Funny, this suitcase weighs a ton."
Annara shrugged as she cam
e to the landing. "Your new persona's style of clothing is bulky. I hope you're not too warm in those thick sweaters."
Olivia groaned and put down the suitcase for a moment to catch her breath before opening the front door. "Me too. My grandmothers tend to go overboard every Christmas with the heavy cable-knit sweaters. At least Lauren will make good use of them. I'll donate them to a charity on BloodDark after I no longer have a use for them. Deal?"
"If you mean you'll give your sweaters to those in need of clothing, it will be appreciated."
"Very practical people, folks from BloodDark are, aren't they?"
Annara helped Olivia wrestle the oversized bag over the threshold, down the sidewalk and into the back of the airport shuttle van parked in the driveway. "We have to be practical on BloodDark. We realize our natural resources are limited. Everything has to be used wisely and not wasted. Our very lives depend upon this philosophy."
Olivia smiled at her friend. "Your ability to conserve and preserve your resources is one trait I admire in you all. We've got to clear up this funny business and get our two worlds on better terms. Humanity has a lot to learn from you guys."
"And we've learned a lot from you already." Annara hopped in the passenger seat and indicated for Olivia to sit in the back. "I call shotgun."
*****
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. If the BloodDark embassy staff at the doors didn't recognize her as "Lauren" as she strolled into the building and into the reception hall, then she'd have no problems whatsoever convincing the Alphans she was just another lovesick Earth girl looking for a vampire mate and not Olivia Brown, the young woman who had kicked their butts in the rebellion.
"Lauren?" The obsequious Pure Blood raised a thin eyebrow, his dark eyes blazing, as he checked her fake name off the list. The toady pranced about the two dozen women and half dozen men for a half hour, double-checking each mail order spouse held the proper invitation and had been cleared for transportation.
"Yeah? Are we going to leave now?"
"Very soon, madame. Very soon."
Her foot beat a rapid rhythm. She bit her lip. Olivia felt anxious—anxious Hernando might show up at any minute and wish the group a safe journey and discover her in her brilliant blond disguise. Her nervous behavior must have convinced the Pure Blood of her genuine excitement to begin her new life. He flashed a crooked grin and then wandered off to speak with the others in the official entourage who had come to help transport their new charges.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen. Everyone has taken their motion sickness medicine? Good. We are set to go. If you will all form a circle as we explained previously, we will begin the transport process."
Mr. Sycophant switched off his translation wrist device at this point. Olivia stared at him. How odd. Didn't they want to continue conversing with their charges? What were they saying and wanting to keep to themselves? Things were happening too fast. Before she knew it, she found herself surrounded on all sides by Pure Bloods, their retinue encircling the humans, engulfing them as the familiar feeling of being ripped into a trillion tiny pieces began.
Chapter Twelve
Olivia didn't think she'd ever get used to having her atoms beamed across the universe. In spite of the medication to lessen the Portal's effect, she felt queasy and uncertain on her legs. Their Pure Blood hosts did their best to set their new charges at ease, however, and offered them water and comfortable seating while the effects of the transport wore off. Olivia accepted the glass of water with a smile. She turned to take a seat on a bench alongside several other "brides" and caught sight of an old friend working nearby. She brought the glass closer to her face and set her gaze on the floor, not meeting his eyes.
Oh, no... I forgot Pablo is now head of security at the Portal. There are some others who know me by sight working here, too. Will they recognize me and snitch on me to the ruling council?
She slunk down on the bench, hoping she would blend into the background with the others. A busy throng of people loaded their luggage and other containers onto a low wagon-like vehicle the size of a long bed pick-up. It glided along on a cushion of air rather than using wheels or rails. With so much activity going on, her fear of being discovered lessened but didn't dissipate in its entirety.
"Are we all rested and ready to go?" Their guide scanned them for signs of more severe transport maladies. His brusque manner made him appear as anxious as Olivia to move them along to the Clan Alpha House.
"I am," she said, springing to her feet. "Let's ditch this bus stop and get to where we're going." She kept her back turned away from Pablo. He stood at a tall desk, going over the shipment logs, double-checking who and what had come through the Portal and what was being readied to be sent out. The blond hair and glasses worked. He hadn't noticed her.
"It's refreshing to meet such a young and eager...person." Their guide's translation device had a lot of built in pauses, giving his utterances a creepy effect. He clapped his hands and indicated to his assistants to help the others to their feet. "All right, off we go now to meet your new family, Clan Alpha."
With a swish of his long cape over his shoulder, he spun around on his heels and headed toward the exit. Human and Pure Blood alike followed him in a loose line and began their short hike to the clan house. The human contingent began rubber-necking, most open-mouthed, showing the signs of transportation had worn off. Olivia did the same, trying to pretend she'd never seen her surroundings many times before.
As she looked about with a half-open jaw, she noticed an armed Overseer contingent had joined their parade. A half dozen of the hulking beings brought up the rear. They're not taking any chances we'll change our minds and run back to the Portal and home, are they?
Olivia kept a neutral, pleasant expression on her face and cooperated. Her eagerness was genuine, as she really did want to get to the clan house and start snooping around. If she thought it worth the risk, she wanted to check in on Valori as well.
The last communiqué from her dear friend indicated Valori was still recovering in the same room Olivia had visited, but she felt strong enough to be able to work most of the time brewing up healing tinctures and occasionally sewing fine clothing for new ruling councilors like Caveman. No doubt on all worlds men and women alike wanted to appear worthy of their esteemed positions. Wearing cast-offs or casual outfits was considered beneath their newly acquired status.
Olivia smirked at the thought of the once rough and tumble Caveman Charlie dressed in his finest tailored suit with a new bowler hat and putting on airs. Perhaps a bill could be introduced into council stating councilors had to dress and live at the same level as the majority of their constituents? It would teach politicians to keep their humility and the best interests of the citizens of BloodDark in mind.
"Please wait here to be... admitted."
Their guide's creepy tone brought Olivia out of her reveries, focusing her attention on her surroundings. She was familiar with them, of course, but she couldn't act like walking into the Clan Alpha House was no big deal. She needed to act suitably impressed like the other vampire brides. She needed to slip into her new persona, the Goth girl in plaid with glasses.
"Oo, look at those large those door knockers!" She giggled and pointed. "Have you ever seen anything like them before?"
A frowning woman of about thirty-five turned to her and said, "Of course I have. Didn't your intended send you photos of your new home?"
"Well, sure...but it's not quite the same thing, is it?"
Olivia blushed and made up her mind to remain silent after receiving several dirty looks from the frowning woman and others. Enthusiasm wasn't welcomed, it appeared. In fact, her fellow travelers acted more like sheep heading to the slaughter, resigned, accepting, not protesting their fate.
I think I've misunderstood the type of person the Pure Bloods were looking for in their mates. They don't want vitality. They want docility, subservience, mindlessness.
While the real Lauren might have fit in well here, O
livia realized she didn't exactly fit the description. Would their hosts weed her out? There had been no promise made that all mail-order brides would be accepted. The cost of the trip was paid for by Clan Alpha, so Clan Alpha had every right to refuse any duds, right? Perhaps even her virginal status wouldn't be enough to get her in.
The large doors slowly swung open revealing the light of the grand entrance hall. Even the sheep beside her allowed a gasp of surprise to escape their lips at the dazzling sight within.
Light...so much light it was blinding in stark contrast to the darkness outside. The hall was well lit from thousands of candles suspended from the rafters and attached to sconces in the wall and filling candelabra on the tables. Every surface was polished to mirror-like sheen. They sparkled and reflected the flickering light of the flames, giving the cavernous room a warm and intimate feeling.
As they proceeded at a measured pace into the hall, Olivia smelled a pleasant aroma of burning herbs. Sage? Oregano? No, it couldn't be... She laughed and relaxed her guard. She noticed her fellow travelers were also acting less uptight and more open to new experiences. They were offered shiny gold goblets of the local brew as they were given a plate to sample the huge platters of foodstuffs covering the sideboards. Olivia recognized a few of her favorite BloodDark fruits and sweets recipes and began to dig in besides the others. The colors in the tapestries adorning the walls jumped out at her. Why hadn't she noticed how colorful they were before?
A small orchestra began to play a traditional Pure Blood ballad. Resonant string instruments played in the background while a soloist performed a reedy flute-like melody. Olivia smiled and nodded to her hosts a lot, but they kept silent. Then she noticed they weren't wearing translation devices on their wrists. Strange, didn't the Alphans want to speak to their mail-order brides?
The scent of the burning herbs, a full stomach and the warmth of the candlelight made her sleepy. Olivia tried her best to hide her yawns, but some of her fellow travelers were already crashed on low sofas and chairs scattered about the hall, dozing blissfully. Had they been drugged? If so, she couldn't risk her true identity being revealed. She needed to get outside and clear her head.
Olivia's Return Page 13
